Wednesday, March 21, 2012

The mantra above is magical! If you happen to chant it once loudly, then it repeats itself in your mind all day. Just try it and see.

"Hare" in Sanskrit means thief from the verb root "har" or "to steal". "Rama" comes from the verb root "ram" or "to delight" - Rama is the God who fills us with joy. Krishna comes from the verb root "karsh" or "to draw" - the one who attracts our minds towards him, constantly. There is certainly excitement in calling the Lord someone who delights and attracts, but a thief?!! Maybe someone who steals and takes over your heart, mind and soul?

Simply put, we chant to keep the mind occupied. If not, a million thoughts rush in and ceaselessly disturb the mind. The mind is like the ocean, waves are constantly formed and carry it away with strong force. The mind likes sensationalism, and to keep it focused, it requires bold imagery like this.

So keep chanting this magic mantra and may it bring you joy and peace!

Friday, March 9, 2012

Dasaka 7 Om Namoh Naarayanaya! Obeisances to Sri Naarayana Bhattadiri who gave us this "Song of Solace"

Dasaka 7

O Lord! After you took the form of the fourteen worlds, you then took on the form of the creator, Brahma, who is also known as Hiranyagraba, the combined power behind everything in the Universe. The increase in Rajasic power created a desire in Brahma to manifest in millions of forms in the Universe. (1)

O Lord of the Universe! Brahma, however lacked the knowledge to create these various forms. While Brahma was contemplating this question, you urged him to meditate, by putting the thought in his mind. (2)

Brahma looked around to see who had spoken to him, and not seeing anyone, he meditated on the word "meditate". He meditated for a thousand years and was blessed by the sight of your divine abode, Vaikunta.(3)

O Lord! Vaikunta is a place where Maya cannot enter and so it is totally devoid of the emotions of anger, sadness, fear, ignorance. You revealed to Brahma, O Lord, this place of absolute bliss! (4)

Vaikunta is the place where the devotees who were devoted to you have attained a space; these purified souls are luminous like dark sapphires, are four-armed, and are riding flying vehicles. Victory to Vaikunta! (5)

In Vaikunta, Goddess Lakshmi is seated at your tender, lotus feet. She is as bright as lightning, slender as a creeper and is sitting in the midst of heavenly damsels. O Lord! Please find me a space in your divine abode! (6)

O Lord who is the cause behind everything! Brahma experienced the bliss of seeing your divine form seated on a bejeweled seat, decked with ornaments like the Kaustuba, and lustrous with the brightness of a million suns. O Lord! Please bless me with a vision of this form! (7)

O Lord! Cure me of my disease by blessing me with the vision of your form that is charming as a rain laden cloud, as attractive as a Kalaya flower, your face that is decorated with a gentle, sweet smile, and your arms that bearing the shanku, chakra, gadha and padma. (8)

O Lord! I worship you, seeing whom Brahma became ecstatic, fell at your feet and begged you to grant him the knowledge of the true self. (9)

O Lord! I pray to you to restore my health! You are the one who granted the knowledge of the self to Brahma, the one who filled him with blissful joy and the one who stimulated him to create the Universe. (10)

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This is a humble attempt to present these verses in English.

Please pardon any mistakes and feel free to correct/comment on anything.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Dasaka 6 Om Namoh Naarayanaya! A thousand Namaskars to Sri Naarayana Bhattadiri who gave us this "Song of Solace"

Dasaka 6

O Lord in the awe inspiring form of Virat! O Lord who has assumed the form of fourteen worlds! The learned people say that the soles of your feet is Patala, the upper part of your feet is Rasatala and your ankles is Mahatala. (1)

O Lord who wields the discus (Chakra)! Your shins is Talatala, your knees are the the worlds of Vithala and Athala. The front of your hip is the earth, your navel is the sky and your chest is Indraloka. (2)

O Lord who has the assumed the form of everything in this Universe! Your neck is Mahar, your face is Jnanaloka, your head is Satyaloka. I bow down to your form that is the cause of everything in the universe! (3)

O Lord who is the prime cause of this Universe! The upper end of your Sushumna nerve is the Vedas, your beautiful curly locks of hair are the clouds, your luminous brows is Brahmaloka, your eyelashes create day and night (with their movement) and your eyes are the Sun. (4)
O Lord! Your glance created the whole Universe! Your ears became the directions, your nostrils became the Ashwin Gods, your lower lip became greed and the upper lip became shame. Your teeth became the stars and your grinding teeth became the God of Death. (5)

O Lord Virat! Your entrancing smile became Maya, your breath became air and your tongue became water. Your speech became a flock of birds, your melody became the learned people, your arms became the Gods and your chest became the Lord of Righeousness. (6)

O lotus eyed Lord! Your back became wrong thought and action and your mind became the moon. Your soft heart is indistinct as it is plagued by moods. Your stomach became the oceans, twillight clothed you, and your lower parts became Brahma and Mitra. (7)
O Compassionate Lord! Your hips became herds of animals, your nails became the elephant, camel and the horse. Your gait became the passing of time. And the castes were created out of your face, arms, thighs and feet. (8)
O Lord who wields a discus! Your actions are the cycle of life, your valor is like that of the mighty demons, your bones are the mountains, your nerves are the rivers, and your hair forms the trees. Long live to this exquisite form of yours! (9)
To those who follow Karma Yoga, your form in the form of Virat is to be meditated on, at the end of every good action. O Lord Guruvayurappa!! I bow to you who pervades this entire Universe and beseech you to save me from this illness. (10)****************

This is a humble attempt to present these verses in English.

Please pardon any mistakes and feel free to correct/comment on anything.